Megawatt Community Energy Fund Grant

This grant programme is open for applications.

The Megawatt Community Energy Fund uses profit from the business activity of Bristol Energy Cooperative and Low Carbon Gordano. The fund supports community action on reducing carbon in our atmosphere, and making energy more affordable. Bristol Energy Cooperative and Low Carbon Gordano are working with Quartet Community Foundation to administer these funds.

Greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide, cause climate change. Burning fossil fuels, such as oil, coal and gas, puts carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. We burn fossil fuels to generate energy, this includes electricity, heating water and buildings and powering our transport systems. Other causes of climate change include cutting down and burning forests (trees absorb carbon and release it when cut down or burned) and raising livestock.

To slow and reverse climate change, we need to switch to renewable energy sources, be more efficient in our energy use, and find ways of taking greenhouse gases out of our atmosphere. It is important everyone can access and afford the energy they need. Finding solutions to climate change is an opportunity to make our energy systems more local and fairer.

Please accept statistics, marketing cookies to watch this video.

What you can apply for

Climate change is happening now, solutions are available now, and we all can make a difference now. This is why the fund is supporting activities that aim to:

• Raise awareness of climate change, its solutions and how to reduce its impact (mitigation). This includes public outreach through talks, workshops, campaigns, and social, arts or sports activity.
• Reduce fossil fuel consumption of individuals, organisations and communities through energy measures, or through the more efficient use of resources. This could include transport projects (e.g. encouraging cycling and public transport use), local food growing projects (which reduce our use of food transported long distances), horticultural projects (e.g. planting trees and plants which absorb carbon), community sharing and networking (e.g. lift sharing, projects to spread good ideas), IT (e.g. harnessing social media) and health projects (e.g. healthy eating & exercise). Please be aware: Requests for heating and hot water systems that directly use fossil fuels will be a low priority for funding.
• Reduce fuel poverty to ensure everyone can access and afford the energy they need. This could include helping people on low incomes to reduce their energy bills, switch energy provider, and access grants to improve the energy efficiency of their home.

We will prioritise applications:

• That support an inclusive and fair transition to a more sustainable world. Either through a focus on helping communities at greatest risk of disadvantage or exclusion (e.g. low-income households, neighbourhoods with poor access to low-carbon transport, people who face barriers to accessing advice and support, disabled people) or through a focus on supporting these communities to lead on climate action locally.
• Where a Megawatt grant will cover a significant proportion of the activity cost, 25% or more. 
• For activities that include work encouraging local communities to address climate change, e.g. promoting your work locally.      
• From organisations with an annual income under £2.5 Million.

Please note: The funds available for this programme are limited, so we can’t approve every application. In the previous 2024 round, 31% of the applications received were successful.

Who can apply?

We can accept applications from groups working in South Gloucestershire, Bristol, North Somerset, and Sedgemoor District (Somerset). We will prioritise supporting small organisations with charitable aims. You do not have to be an energy or environmental group.

How to apply

Apply online using the link below (The link is only visible when the grant programme is open). You can return to your online application form as many times as you like. However, please save the form as you go along. We encourage you to read the guidelines before applying. Also, see our Help & Guidance page here.

Decision Turnaround

We will email you the panel’s decision within 8 weeks of the closing date.